Beyond His Calculations
by tears in the snow
Summary: Seigaku's resident data man finds the greatest surprise of his life.. inside his shoe locker. InuixOC
1. Beyond his calculations

**Summary:** Seigaku's resident data man finds the greatest surprise of his life… inside his shoe locker.

**Author's Note:** This is based on a PoT chibi mini theater. If you haven't seen it, try checking out the vid (if it's still available, that is.) It's hilarious. :)

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><p><strong>Beyond His Calculations<strong>

BEEEEEEP. BEEEEEEEP. BEEEEEEP.

Inui switched the alarm off and reached for his glasses. He looked at the time and date- it was 5:30 am, June 3rd.

He stood up and opened the curtains to let the small amount of sunlight stream in. It seemed to be a fine day outside, no sign of cumulonimbus clouds or anything that would indicate a hindrance to their morning tennis practice today. He let out a sharp breath, hoping his day would be like any normal school day.

However, the third of June will never be 'just normal' for Inui Sadaharu. It is, in fact, his birthday today. For the past two years in his stay at Seigaku, he had been successful of keeping his birthday to a discretion but considering the circumstances during the past few weeks (Momoshiro, Kaidoh, Eiji, Taka-san and Oishi fainting _again_ as a result of his dreaded New Inui Juice prototype version 2.0), he had a gut feeling that something will definitely be coming up. Yes, it might be illogical to have gut feelings but on this day, Inui decided to hear what it has to say for once in his life.

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><p>After running at his usual 3-km route, he took a bath, ate breakfast and rode a bus to school. At the next bus stop, he saw a very familiar, honey-haired tensai riding up the bus. He found an empty seat across Inui's. He settled down, setting his things on the floor in front of him.<p>

"Ya, Inui." Fuji said cheerfuly.

"Fuji." Inui acknowledged him with his usual calm demeanor. "It's odd. We're riding the same bus to school today."

Fuji chuckled. "Yeah, so it seems. This our first bus ride to school together, ne?"

"Hm." Inui said, adjusting his glasses. "This means that you're 5 minutes early today."

"Oh, you're also taking note of that." Fuji ginned, crossing his arms to his chest. "You never miss anything, do you?"

"Of course. Every piece of information is valuable data for me." Inui said, taking out a green notebook from his bag. He opened it to a certain section which read, 'Regular team's arrival time- average'.

"Oishi is always the first one to arrive at the clubroom at 6:40 am, followed by Tezuka, then me, you, Kaidoh, Taka-san, Eiji, Momoshiro and lastly, Echizen." Inui said, closing his notebook. "Momoshiro and Echizen seems to exchange places every once in a while, though."

"Oh, as expected, you do quite have precise data." The tensai replied, gaining interest at Inui's data. "Anyway, may I ask you something?"

"What is it?" Inui replied, putting his notebook back in the bag.

"What's the date today? I seem to have forgotten." Fuji asked, grinning wider.

Inui almost choked on his own saliva. "The date?" He noticed the grin on the tensai's face grow a milimeter wider, which meant that he was definitely up to something. It wasn't like Fuji to ask him stuff like that but he tried to remain as calm as possible, not showing any sign of letting his guard down. He made a resolve to himself to foil Fuji's plans before he got him.

He looked at his watch. "It's June 3rd, 6:35 am if you'd like to know the time, too." Inui said, acting as composed as possible.

"Ah, sou ka?" Fuji said, looking out the window. The smile still remained etched on the tensai's face. "Maa, it's going to be a good day, isn't it?"

Inui inwardly shuddered at the statement. "Saa, who knows?"

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><p>Ten minutes later, Inui and Fuji arrived at Seigaku. It was still barely occupied except for those who have morning practices or club activities. The tennis club of course, is no exception. Morning practices always start at *6:50 am. Those who fail to be punctual (ex. Echizen and in some cases, Momoshiro) run 30 laps around the court co Tezuka.

Fuji and Inui headed straight to the clubroom. Inui turned the knob but it was locked. "Hm. This looks odd. The door should have been opened by now."

"Well, there's a notice posted here, Inui. Come take a look." Fuji said, standing in front of the said post.

_Minna,_

_Sorry for the such short notice but I forgot to tell your Tezuka-buchou yesterday that the courts will be under maintainance the whole morning. All practices will be held in the afternoon._

_Enjoy your free morning, everyone._

_-Ryuzaki-sensei_

"Well, I guess we can't do anything about it." Fuji said, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. "It's weird not being able to practice in the morning."

"Yeah, I guess." Inui absent-mindedly said as he pushed his glasses back. Maybe he could concoct a new recipe to help boost Ryuzaki-sensei's memory to while the time supposedly for morning practice.

"Na, Inui," Fuji said, displaying the same grin he had on the bus. "Shall we text the other members?"

Inui smirked as his glasses gleamed sinisterly in the light. "I think it'd be more fun if they'd discover it by themselves."

Fuji let out a chuckle. "I thought so too." He said, taking a few steps away from the post. "Saa, shall we go?"

Inui followed suit. "Ah."

After arriving at the shoe lockers, Fuji and Inui parted ways. Fuji's locker was a few yards away from Inui's, so they weren't really that far apart.

"So, what are you going to do with this much time in your hands, Inui?" Fuji asked, pulling his school shoes out from his locker.

"I'll probably be making another type of Inui juice but this time, it would be something that could help with improving one's memory." Inui said.

"Oh, is that so? If it's done, let me have a sample of it." Fuji cheerfully said. Abruptly, he revealed his blue eyes. "However, if it's similar to Aozu or Akazu…"

Inui sweatdropped. "It's not, Fuji. I assure you."

Fuji closed his eyes and smiled. "Good." He said. "See you later in the afternoon, then." The tensai turned his back and walked to his classroom.

"Yeah." Inui said, turning to his shoe locker. Damn that Fuji, he could be as scary as a serial killer in the movies if he wanted to.

Inui opened his shoe locker. His eyes immediately caught something that wasn't there before- or more like, it wasn't supposed to be there at all.

"Hoh? A letter? This is inteesting." He pulled out a white envelope and carefully examined it. It was a simple, scented stationery with little heart figures on the upper left corner. His name was written on the center of the envelope in a small, dainty handwriting.

Calculating the probabilities, it most likely was a prank from his teammates who were dying to get their revenge as opposed to a confession letter. He was 99.9 percent sure of it. But if it was indeed the lesser 1 percent, ergo, a confession letter, it'd be more ii data for him... or maybe not. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know what was in it. He didn't want to be disappointed on his birthday. However, this could be a pretty wonderful birthday present if all turns out well.

Inui opened the seal and pulled out the letter. He was a bit surprised- the letter was written by a girl. He knew all of his teammates' handwriting style. It wouldn't be as neat and girly as this. He continued scanning the letter, hoping there was enough to prove the upper 99 percent of his hunch so he could devise a sinister revenge for his teammates. Unfortunately, when he found none, he proceeded to read the meat of the letter.

_Dear Inui-kun,_

_First of all, I would like greet you a happy birthday! I know only a handful of people know about it but I've overheard it from somewhere so I decided to give this to you as kind of a birthday gift. I know you'd rather like to have a new camcorder or those sorts of things but then, I think my budget will not allow it._

_I have been meaning to give you this letter for a very long time now but I didn't have the guts to face you or to even secretly send it to you. Since this my last year here in Seigaku, I thought that I might give this a shot. I know that chances of us getting together are very slim, but I will feel much better if you knew about my sentiments before we graduate._

_Inui-kun, I have always liked you since our first year. You may never have noticed me even though we're classmates for three years in a row but I've always set an eye on you. It all started as a mere curiosity about the mystery that surrounded you but one thing led to another. That curiosity turned into hidden feelings of admiration, respect and infatuation. However, up to now, I'm still wondering what you're hiding behind those thick frames of yours. I bet you have really beautiful eyes. It's a shame that no one has ever really seen them. Well, with the exception of your family, of course._

_My feelings for you began to grow deeper as I watched you play. It was when I have come to realize how great you really are. You aren't just some genius nerd like everyone else thinks... they may not see it, but I know you put a lot of effort in everything you do. You brought your intelligence to a whole new level by applying your genius expertise in tennis. Not only that, I can see that by being your team's manager, you have risen the standards of your team by helping them reach their potential. It's a very hard task for a middle schooler like you and that's what I admire about you, Inui-kun... aside from your looks and sex appeal of course. With all your qualities combined, you are truly are a wonderful person inside out. Zannen for most people, they don't see what I see. ;)_

_I really would want to get to know you more but then, I guess I still don't have enough confidence to face a guy as amazing as you are._

_Anyway, all has been said and it's pretty good to get this all off my chest. I wish you all the best, Inui-kun. I hope someday, you will achieve your dreams._

_All my love,_

_Anonymous_

_PS. It doesn't matter who I am.. things like these won't catch your interest anyway. But, I do know you're good in figuring out things so if you're up to it, good luck solving this puzzle._

_(oops, I think I might have left you a small clue somewhere in between. ;) )_

Inui felt his face flush into a deep red hue. His mind was filled with so many questions that it felt like he wanted to burst. NEVER in his whole life had he ever received such compliment from the opposite sex. Not once. And never did he imagine getting fired up by just a mere confession. He thought that it would be some immature expression of love and obsession just like in some of the **Korean movies he watched. However, this was beyond his calculations. This girl knew very well what she wanted to say. There were no fancy embellishments; just the real deal.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. _Wake up, Inui Sadaharu!_ He said to himself. This could all be a trap. His teammates could have one way or another persuaded some girl to write this flattering letter for him. He tried to think as logically as he could but it seemed that his emotions were winning over.

He took a deep breath. He had to calm down and think this over carefully. Why, of all the dates in the calendar did he receive this letter on his birthday? And moreover, an outsider knew about the fact that he tried to conceal from the public for the past three years. This girl had somehow managed to get some information from the inside.

_You have started a very good game, anonymous. I will soon find out whoever you are. After all, you have already caught my full interest._

He mused.

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed reading it guys! Please do review.. I would really appreciate your comments, criticisms or suggestions! :)<strong>

**By the way, this was supposed to be a birthday fic but it has been three days since Inui's birthday had gone by so I hope that's still okay. :)**

**Trivia:**

***6:50 am- In Tezuka and Eiji's pair puri (I think it's some kind of an extra chapter in the New Prince of Tennis Manga), it was mentioned in both of their school schedules that the tennis club's morning practice starts at that time.**

****Korean movies- It's stated in Inui's profile (I think it was in the 40.5 fanbook) that his fave type of movies are Korean movies.**


	2. Coincidence

**Summary:** Seigaku's resident data man finds the greatest surprise of his life... inside his shoe locker.

**Author's Note:** This is based on a PoT chibi mini theater. If you haven't seen it, try checking out the vid. It's hilarious. :)

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><p>0000000000000000000000<p>

**Chapter 2: Coincidence**

"Hey, this is your chance." A girl said in a whisper. "You can't screw this up."

"Yeah, I know that." Another girl said, eyeing the bespectacled tennis player from where she stood. "What's taking him so long?"

"I don't know." Her friend replied. She looked at him intently, trying to make out what the data man was doing. She saw him holding a piece of paper. "It seems like he's reading something."

"Yeah." The girl said, taking another peek. Inui was glued to the same spot. "What is he reading anyway?"

"Who knows." The other girl said. "I bet it's a love letter. _Your_ love letter."

"Yup. It magically flew out from my bag and slipped into Inui-kun's locker by itself." She said, in a mocking tone.

"What will you do, if in case that _is_ your love letter?" Her friend asked.

"Hmm." She said, contemplating. "If it was my letter, I think it's a rare catch watching him analyzing it to death, like what he's doing now."

"Coincidences do happen, you know." Her friend said.

She smirked. "I doubt it."

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><p>"Eeeehhh.. Inui-senpai looks flustered." Momoshiro said,<em> trying<em> to be stealthy. Eiji whacked on Momo's head, motioning him to keep silent. The rascal rubbed his head, pouting at his senpai. "Ow, that hurt."

"That's because you're too noisy, nya." Eiji said, whispering. He was cowering above momo, who was crouching on the floor.

The regulars sans Tezuka and Taka-san were quite having the fun of their lives watching Inui's every reaction to the letter he found inside the locker. The plan was devised by no other that the number one sadist, Fuji Syuusuke as payback for the data gathering stint Inui pulled off not so long ago. He thought that since Inui has over a hundred volumes of data notebooks solely about them, they should obtain at least a few blackmail info about their very own resident data man.

"Fshuuuu. Baka. Which part of him looks flustered? Do you even know what 'flustered' means?"

"You're blind, mamushi! Just look at him! He's frozen! Do you really think someone like him would throw a fit? Of course not, right? So that's his way of being flustered!"

Again, Eiji whacked the back of Momo's head, trying to 'restore discipline'. "Momo! He will really catch us if you don't shut up! Do you really want to drink the Inui juice that much?"

"Guys, keep your voices down. Inui will hear us if you keep on talking too loud." Oishi said, imposing the _real_ discipline. He was leaning against the wall, with Eiji and Momo crouching below him. Kaidoh and Fuji were right beside him.

"Too bad, Tezuka and Taka-san are missing all the fun." Fuji said, his fingers resting on his chin. "Hmmm. I should have brought a videocam so they could at least have a glimpse of this."

"Che. It's more like for your own personal collection." Momo muttered to himself.

"By the way Fuji, what's in the letter?" Oishi wondered. Seeing Inui's reaction, he could not help but be curious. Fuji really does know how to push someone's buttons when he wants to. He wasn't a tensai for nothing, after all.

Fuji smiled. "Saa.. I never read or opened it."

"Eh? I'm not getting the picture." Eiji said.

"You don't have to, Eiji. Things will unfold in due time." Fuji said.

"Oi. Stop talking cryptically, Fuji-senpai." Momo interjected. Fuji just smiled at Momo's request.

"Wait." Oishi paused, seeming to have an epiphany. "_That_ isn't a _real_ confession, is it?" he said, hoping Fuji would answer no.

"Yep, it is." Fuji said.

He slumped his shoulders at the tensai's nonchalant reply. "Isn't that a bit too… overboard?" Oishi said. "I mean, wouldn't that be violating the sender's privacy?"

"Maa, It'd be a waste if I kept it, wouldn't it?" Fuji said. "Besides, don't you all want to know how this is going to play out?"

"Fshhhuuu." Kaidoh hissed. "I don't really want to know."

"Hm, sou ka? Aren't you curious how your mentor handles _love_ matters, Kaidoh?" Fuji said in a tone implying a hidden innuendo. He looked at Kaidoh, who was trying to hide the slight pink creeping up his cheeks. He mentally chuckled at how easily embarrassed Kaidoh can be.

"It doesn't concern me." Kaidoh retorted, looking away from Fuji as far away as possible. His senpai made it sound _so_ wrong in many ways.

"Oh really? Then why are you here, ahh, mamushi?" Momo said, taunting his teammate. "Oh yeah, maybe because you're j-e-a-l-o-u-s…"

"Shut up or I'm going to kill you." Kaidoh said, giving Momo the death glare. Momo smirked, taunting the viper even further.

Oishi looked at the two sophomores. He cleared his throat to silence them. "SO. who is this mystery girl?" he said, trying to neutralize the tension in the air.

"Well, I don't know how to answer you, Oishi." Fuji said. "I never really got a chance to meet her."

"Ehhh..? I don't quite get you, Fuji." Eiji said, scratching his head.

"How do I explain this…" Fuji put his hand on his chin. "Let's just say I got it by coincidence."

Momo raised an eyebrow. "Coincidence?"

Fuji nodded. "Yup, coincidence."

"In your world, there is no such thing as coincidence, Fuji." Eiji said.

"Fuji-senpai. you're so.." Momo halted midway as he watched Fuji's lips curl into a smile. Momo felt odd chills running down his spine. He gulped, finding other words to replace his original thought. "Ehrm… brilliant."

Fuji chuckled softly. His was actually planning to give Inui a little taste of his own medicine for that little *prank he pulled on him and the other regulars a couple of weeks back but it seems that lady luck was in his favor when that letter landed on his hands. It was like hitting two birds in one stone: tricking Inui for the laughs and watching a possible brewing romance between his teammate and the sender. It was indeed one of his sadistic schemes but then, things had to be a _little _twisted for it to become _slightly_ interesting.

"Oi, red alert guys!" Momo said. "Inui-senpai is coming this way!"

"Gah!" Eiji said, standing abruptly. "I don't want to drink his Inui juice, nya!" He said, dashing for the hallway. Momo and Kaidoh followed him shortly.

Oishi sweatdropped. "Yare, yare."

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><p>"The coast is clear, Natsu-chan." Rin said, urging her friend out of their hiding place. "Inui-kun took a long time spacing out in front of his shoe locker, ne."<p>

"Yeah." Natsumi drew out a deep breath. Her hands trembling in nervousness as she reached Inui's shoe locker. She took a step back, hesitating to do the deed. She turned to her friend who was patiently waiting for her. "I really don't think I can do this, Rin-chan. People are watching."

"Mattaku." Rin pushed her friend to the locker. "They don't look like they care to me. If you don't get that over with, you're going to be so busted."

"Fine." Natsumi sighed, reaching for her bag pocket. _This is it Hoshizora Natsumi.. this is finally the moment you've been waiting for. _She thought. It was the long-awaited day of her confession. For three years, she had been visualizing ways and means to do it. Now was her chance, even though she knew it would never be reciprocated.

Her brows furrowed as she continued to rummage into her bag. Rin was watching her questioningly, tapping her foot impatiently. "Natsu-chan, time's ticking away..."

"I couldn't find it." Natsumi said.

"What do you mean you couldn't find it?" Rin put her hand on her hip. "Don't tell me you lost it."

"Of course not." She said, rummaging through her stuff. "It has to be in here somewhere."

"Maybe you left it at home." Rin said nonchalantly.

"No… I don't remember taking it out of my bag yesterday." Natsumi said, double checking her belongings. She fumbled into every nook and corner of her bag but it was nowhere to be seen.

"Maybe you inserted it in one of your books or something." Rin said, crossing her arms.

Rin's words rang a bell. She froze in her seat as she finally remembered and realized her stupidity. "Oh my kami-sama."

"Nande?" Rin asked.

"The letter… it was inserted in the notebook that I passed to Yamino-sensei a few days ago." Natsumi said weakly. "If he finds it, this will be the end of me!"

She wanted to dissolve in thin air and vanish forever. Natsumi's head were filled with images of Yamino-sensei reading the letter out loud or giving Inui the letter in front of the class and telling him that he found it in her notebook. With that given, the purpose of not revealing her identity in the letter will be completely defeated and it certainly wasn't the scenario she had in mind.

"What's wrong with Inui-kun getting the letter? You were planning to give it to him anyway."

"Rin!" Natsumi exclaimed, glaring at her companion. She looked left and right for people who might have heard their conversation. She sighed as she placed her hand on her chest. "Keep your voice down next time, okay?"

"Sorry." She said. "Well, what's the difference? He wouldn't know it was from you."

"Yeah, of course he wouldn't… not after sensei introduces Confessions 101 as new topic in class using my anonymous letter as a perfect example."

"Gah, I wouldn't want him broadcasting that to the whole world, either." Rin said. "Anyway, what are you planning to do now?"

"I'm going to retrieve that letter ASAP." Natsumi said with all conviction.

"Oi, don't you think it's too late for that? It's almost time for class. Besides, Yamino-sensei is going to be our teacher for the first class anyway." Rin said, motioning to the nearest wall clock.

"I have to get it before he steps foot in that classroom." Natsumi said, getting her school shoes from her shoe locker and hastily put it on. "I can't just let my dignity hang on the line!"

"Well, I guess it's useless to argue at times like this." Rin said, hinting at her friend's loss of rationality. "Ja, I wish you all the luck in the world, Natsumi-chan." She watched her friend dash through the hallway without a word.

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><p>"Sumimasen!" Natsumi said, opening the door of the faculty room. "Is Yamino-sensei here?"<p>

"He just left, Hoshizora-chan. He even asked that Inui-kun to carry a bunch of notebooks for him." Kyoyama-sensei, the third year math teacher said. "Didn't you pass by them on your way here?"

She stood frozen. "N-no, Sensei." She said, trying to think straight. Inui with the notebooks is an even more horrifying image. Yamino-sensei making fun of her is one, but this was way too dreadful. Why the hell didn't she see them on her way to the faculty room?

"Oi, Hoshizora. Are you okay?" Kyoyama-sensei asked, watching her face turn pale. "You look like you're about to faint."

"Yeah, I'm fine, Sensei." She lied. She obviously was not okay. Her secret is going to be revealed in less than a few moments.. how is she going to be okay? "I'll take my leave, sensei. Thank you very much."

Kyoyama-sensei's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're welcome.. Hoshizora-chan."

Natsumi closed the door. She covered her face in her palms as she walked back to her classroom.

She was doomed. Or so she thought.

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><p><strong>*prank- see mini theater PoT vid. :)<strong>

**Finally! I finished the second chapter. I hope this made you happy guys! Please do review~ :D**


	3. Playing Detective

**Summary:** Seigaku's resident data man finds the greatest surprise of his life... inside his shoe locker.

**Author's Note:** This is based on a PoT chibi mini theater. If you haven't seen it, try checking out the vid. It's hilarious. :)

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><p>0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0<p>

**Chapter 3: Playing Detective**

Natsumi slid the classroom door open. She walked inside, apparently depressed, nervous and breathless from running in the hallways. Her dark brown locks, which usually flowed in neat waves, were now a dissheveled mess. Yamino-sensei immediately noticed the pained expression in her eyes.

"What happened to you, Hoshizora?" He asked. "Did you and your boyfriend break up?"

Natsumi froze for the second time. _This can't be happening. This is a dream. _She heard the class burst into laughter. She didn't dare look into the piercing stares of her classmates because hearing their laughter resonate across the room made her realize was the beginning of her sorry school life.

"I was just running late, Sensei." She said, with her head bowed down low. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Yamino-sensei was puzzled. On normal days, Hoshizora would have come up with a witty remark. "Are you okay, child? It looks like you missed your breakfast." He said, before handing Natsumi her notebook. "Maybe you should go to the infirmary."

"I'm fine, Sensei." Natsumi replied. She silently took her notebook from Yamino-sensei's hands and took her seat. She opened her notebook, only to find out that the letter wasn't there. She felt relieved, but at the same time, annoyed that it wasn't there. However, lady luck sure did save her from the major embarrassment she expected.

"From the looks of it, I think Yamino-sensei decided to keep it a secret." Rin said in hushed tones.

"No," Natsumi fumbled with her pen. "I don't think he ever knew it existed."

"But then, why'd he tease you about your boyfriend if he didn't have the slightest hint about it?" Rin asked.

"If he knew, He probably would have said it in a more teasing way." She replied.

"Ne, Natsu-chan." Rin said, discreetly pointing to the data man's direction. "Isn't it odd? The way he's acting, I mean."

Natsumi glanced at him. "Are you sure? To me, he isn't." She looked at her best friend suspiciously. "Come to think of it, you're the one who's acting very odd."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Really?" She looked into Natsu's unwavering gaze and sighed. "Seriously? You think that_ I_ am behind all this?"

"Why not? You're the only one who knows about this." Natsumi narrowed her eyes. "Just tell me what you're up to, Rin."

"Wow, and how long have we been best friends again?" Rin replied. "Seriously, don't take paranoia to a whole new level by suspecting your own best friend."

"Okay, okay." Natsumi backed off. "Stop being so defensive." She mumbled.

"Say it loud so I can hear you."

"I said, anyway, let's continue where we left off." Natsumi replied. "So, he's acting weird? How?"

Rin sighed. "For someone who claims she loves him, I think you're pretty dense."

"I just like him, Rin. Like. Not love. Not yet, at least." Natsumi said, turning her book to another page to keep up the facade of listening to the teacher. "Anyway."

"So yeah, anyway." Rin motioned her pen to his hand. "He's not holding a pen."

Natsumi stared disappointedly. "That's it? That's why you think he's acting weird?" She sighed. "Please tell me there's more."

"Do not undermine my powers of observation, Hoshizora Natsumi." Rin said in a very serious tone. "Inui usually, if not always, takes notes. Today, he isn't. That means, his mind is wandering off somewhere else."

"So? what does that have to do with anything?" Natsumi turned another page over. "Maybe he's just stressed with the tennis club or something."

"Maybe he is.. but I think he's focused on something else. Something that caught his attention badly that he isn't taking class notes."

"Okay. You are now an official stalker, Rin." Natsumi said. "You are really creeping me out."

"Yeah, but I'm no comparison to your lover boy." Rin smirked.

"Shut up." Natsumi stuck her tongue out at her best friend. "Let's end this before this gets any more creepy."

"Your choice." Rin turned a page over and looked straight at the chalk board.

Natsumi glanced at Inui for the second time. Rin was right; he is focused about something else and it surely isn't today's lesson. Something about him was different and she couldn't figure out what it was.

She turned her attention to what was written on the board. She couldn't risk her name being called for spacing out. Inui's odd behavior was the least of her concerns. Until that letter is found, her reputation is still on jeopardy.

* * *

><p><em>Hmmm. Who sent this.. Who?<em>

That question was running in Inui's mind for the past 45 minutes. He didn't bother listening to the teacher because Math was just a piece of cake for him. Numbers are his forte so whether or not the teacher calls him, he doesn't give a care.

However, the person who sent that intriguing letter was a genius. Not only did she.. or he leave his/her identity a mystery, but the whole thing about this person liking him for three years is a complete enigma. How sure was he that this letter was not a prank? If female fans rooting for him were highly unlikely, getting a confession from a girl was even more impossible.

Inui stared at the piece of paper. The handwriting was unfamiliar. It was definitely a female's, but it was something he had never seen before. He was almost sure of it because he had helped teachers check test papers for Math, Physics and Chemistry on numerous occasions. She must have asked someone to write it in her place. Either that, or she's good at changing her handwriting. He could try to confirm it later by volunteering to check papers for Yamino-sensei but the probability of getting a match is 30%.

The writing style. The grammar is very satisfactory and there are almost no glitches in how the characters were written. For a third year middle school student, the content has depth so maybe this person is probably one of the higher ranking students in class. But then, he couldn't discount the possibility of this person asking someone else to write the whole thing for him/her. _At least that would narrow it down, _He thought.

The stationary paper. Inui wished the paper itself would give him a clue but he found nothing. Worst of all, he had no knowledge about stationary pads so he could not attempt to trace where that paper came from.

_If worse comes to worse, I will have to find a way to check out the handwriting of Fuji's sister, _He thought. That might yield results, but the probability is 50-50.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!

"And that's the bell for the next subject." Yamino-sensei said. "You guys should study up because I might give an exam within this week."

"Hai." The class replied in unison.

"Oh yeah, Inui?" Yamino-sensei called. "Please see me in the faculty room after your tennis practice. We have a lot of paperwork to do."

"Hai, Sensei." Inui said.

_It's my turn to make a move, mystery girl._

* * *

><p>Around the corner of 3-11, a certain smiling tensai is waiting. Once he found his target, he casually made a stride nearer. He did it in such a way that he just seemed to be walking behind his target. He whispered behind her and said, "Hey, partner-in-crime."<p>

She tried to turn and see who it was, but he gently resisted the motion.

"Meet me at the rooftop. 5 pm." He said.

She whirled around. "What-"

The tensai had already disappeared in a flash.

"Fine by me." She said.

* * *

><p><strong>Done with the third chapter! I hope you guys liked it! Comments and constructive criticism are gladly appreciated. :)<strong>

And, to the readers who were waiting for this chapter, I am terribly sorry of the very late update. This school year was a hectic one for me so I didn't have the time to update. :(


	4. Fuji's Handiwork

**Summary:** Seigaku's resident data man finds the greatest surprise of his life… inside his shoe locker.

**Author's Note:** This is based on a PoT chibi mini theater. If you haven't seen it, try checking out the vid (if it's still available, that is.) It's hilarious. :)

* * *

><p>0o0o00o0o0o0o0o0o0<p>

**Chapter 3: Fuji's Handiwork**

_Pok! Pok! Pok!_

Inui tried hard to concentrate on gathering new data on his teammates but the resonating sound of tennis balls around the court annoyed the heck out of him. It wasn't like him to lose his concentration over a very minute reason such as the sound of tennis balls. He's used to it, hearing the sound every single day- during morning and afternoon practices, out of schedule practices, official matches, et cetera.

He glanced at his notebook. It was empty. Blank. The sight of the empty page baffled him inside.

He contemplated hard on how one blasted letter could have an effect like this on him. It seemed like he was already on the verge of obsessing on finding out who this 'Anonymous' was. On normal circumstances, there wouldn't be a need for him to play detective. It definitely wasn't up his alley because first, there was the undeniable the fact that he lacked the skills on how to interact with the female species on matters not related to school. Second, he was not well-acquainted with how real life romance works. He might get an idea or two from watching movies but it's never the same unless one has experienced it.

He shook his head to bring himself to the reality—he was observing a practice tennis match. He moved to another spot where he could see Eiji and Echizen going at it in a practice singles match. _'Ii data..' _He muttered in his head. He tried hard to concentrate as he watched as his teammates moved flawlessly. Eiji and Echizen, whom he lost to on both occasions was a very interesting pair to observe. He could get tons of data from this practice match alone but no matter how hard he tried, he could not grasp anything.

Inui let out a sigh. He gave up. He closed his notebook and grabbed his tennis racket. _I guess I should just play the stress off._ He made his way to a vacant court where he saw Fuji sitting alone on a bench, cooling himself down with a cold cup of water.

"Inui! great timing," he said, with that eerie grin on his face whose meaning Inui could not read. "Care to have a rally with me?"

"Sure." Inui said, hiding the suspicion. "I was just looking for a match partner."

"Great, all's settled then." Fuji smiled.

* * *

><p>"Okay, so what are we doing here, Rin?" Natsumi stared at her friend in disbelief. "What are we supposed to accomplish by coming here?"<p>

"You don't want to catch a glimpse of your knight in shining armor? Well, that's kind of a surprise." Rin put her fingers on the iron fence. "Believe it or not, I have become accustomed to your routine. Y'know, 'cause we've practically been inseparable?"

Natsumi watched as Inui returned the balls being hit by Fuji. He looked different than his usual self when he was in the courts. The Inui she was seeing right now had more passion. She loved that about him.

'_Damnit_,' She snapped out of her reverie. "What was I thinking?"

"Looks like you're enjoying the pay per view," Rin crossed her arms, grinning at her friend. "Want to stay a bit longer?"

Natsumi glanced at the data master again. As much as she wanted to, she had a mission to accomplish. "You know I can't." She turned her back on the courts. "I have to find that cursed thing until it lands in the possession of scrutinizing, evil eyes."

Rin shrugged her shoulders. "Suit yourself. I'm just right behind 'ya."

* * *

><p>"Na, Inui." Fuji said, returning another ball. "How's <em>your<em> day so far?"

Inui cringed at the hidden innuendo in the word _your _and missed the ball. "It's going quite well. Nothing special." He replied.

"That's too bad." Fuji's eyes momentarily wandered to another direction. Inui missed the ball at the sight of the tensai's blue eyes. "We'll never know, what you're looking for is just right around the corner." He said, his eyes still fixated on something at the left side area of the court.

Inui picked the ball up. He shot a glance at where the tensai was staring at but there was nothing there. '_This is getting very cryptic,'_ He eyed the tensai before he hit a high-speed serve._'Somehow, he does have something to do with this. I'm about 57% sure.'_

Fuji returned the ball with ease. "Cat got your tongue?"

Inui returned the ball. "I never said anything, Fuji."

"Exactly my point." Fuji hit the ball on the far end corner of the court. Inui had miscalculated and missed.

"Game to Fuji 1 game to love!"

Inui sighed. "Damn you."

* * *

><p>"This is your idea of conducting your search mission?" Rin complained, stacking 50 pieces of test papers on a table. "I don't think you'll find anything here, trust me."<p>

"Well, I have to start someplace, right?" Natsumi said, segregating the papers before handing it to Rin. "Maybe it's just somewhere in this office."

"Seriously, Natsu. I wouldn't mind helping you out but," she looked at the wall clock. "Look, it's almost 5:00 pm. You know I have a family event tonight, don't you?"

Natsumi rolled her eyes. "Fine. It's okay. Go do your family thing." She said. Rin looked at her apologetically. "No seriously, go. I'm not mad or anything. Really."

Rin smiled. "Okay then," She said, standing up. "I'm leaving this to you. Good luck on your mission!" She winked at her.

Natsumi chuckled. "Yeah right."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Approximately 20 minutes later..<strong>_

"Sorry for the intrusion." A deep, male voice said as the faculty room door slid open. "I'm here for the paperwork duty, Yamino-sensei."

Natsumi halted stacking the papers. "That voice..."

"Ah, if it wasn't the great math genius Inui." Yamino-sensei exclaimed. "Come! sit here beside this girl."

Natsumi froze for the second time today. _What the heck. Why now? _She raged inside her head. Now, her plan of finding that letter is completely ruined. How the hell can she look for it when the recipient of the letter was sitting right beside her? Oh yeah. Maybe she can just ask him, '_Hey, Inui-kun. Did a letter written in a stationary pad happen to accidentally land in your hands, by any chance? You know, something written by anonymous?'_

In her wildest dreams.

Back to reality, Inui was pulling a chair and positioned it right next to her. She pretended not to notice the impossibly tall figure sitting right next to her.

"Oh, you have paperwork today too, Hoshizora-san?" He politely asked, breaking the ice.

"Yeah, apparently." She replied. "He happened to pass by me on the way outside." _What the hell was that reply, Natsumi! You stupid girl! This is the first time you've spoken casually in three years! Go think up of a better comeback!_

"Ah, I see." He said. "We should do our best with these, then."

Silence. Crickets. Crickets.

"Um," Natsumi started. _Think, Natsu, Think! _"Don't you get tired doing all these by yourself everyday? You just came from tennis practice and all."

"Nah. I got used to it." Inui checked the test papers in front of him. "It has already been part of my routine."

"Of course." Natsumi arranged the papers that Inui had already checked. "But seriously, Yamino-sensei should designate at least one companion for you around here. It can get a bit lousy when you're alone."

"Ah, it does, especially when all the papers you're checking are the same." He said. "It gets a bit fun sometimes when I chance upon my teammates' papers. It's _Ii data_ for me."

Natsumi chuckled. "As expected of the tennis team's manager, you don't miss a thing."

"Of course." Inui smirked. "It's all for their own good."

Natsumi raised her brow. "Really? And taking note of their test scores is good? Sounds stalker-ish to me." She said teasingly.

"Why not?" He replied. "The regulars need to maintain their grades to a certain level." He said, in defense to Natsumi's teasing. "It helps if I tell them the areas where they are struggling so that they would work hard on it more. That is the point of all the data I collect." _Other than blackmail material, I suppose._

"Wow," She stared in awe for a bit, but snapped out of it right away. "I mean, that's really kind of you, Inui-kun."

Inui's glasses gleamed. "Not really. It goes both ways."

"Right." _And we're back to the creepy stalker mode, _She thought. Natsumi stood up and grabbed a stack of papers from the shelf. "That would be to your benefit, in a way."

"Sometimes." Inui said. "By the way, since you're here, would you mind checking those papers over there at the other table?"

Natsumi smiled. "Yeah, sure. No problem."

"Arigato, Hoshizora-san." He said, going back into checking mode.

* * *

><p><em><strong>At the rooftop somewhere in Seigaku..<strong>_

"Good thing you finally showed up." A girl's voice said.

"Yeah, sorry to have kept you waiting," Fuji said. "Is she already where she's supposed to be?"

"Yeah." Rin came out of the shadows, leaning on the wired fence. "So, how's Inui-kun taking all of it?"

Fuji sat on the floor next to her. "He's obviously distracted, but he hides it well. The change isn't so noticeable except to me, of course, since I brewed this whole thing up." He positioned his elbow on his flexed knee. "How about Hoshizora-chan? Does she have any idea that Inui has her letter already?"

Rin smirked. "Not the slightest bit. She's adamnant that she might have dropped the letter in the faculty room." She glanced at Fuji with a doubtful look. "Do you really think this will work?"

"Trust me, it will." Fuji said. "There is no such thing as impossible.. only difficult."

"You talk in riddles, Fuji-kun." Rin said. "But seriously, how do you expect to accomplish your plan in just one day? I know it's your birthday present for Inui-kun but dude, I doubt he'll fall in love within less than twenty-four hours."

"I never planned for him to fall in love in a day, Rin-chan." Fuji said. "But through meeting this friend of yours, he will. Soon."

"Yeah right, Fuji-kun. We don't even know if my friend is his type." Rin said. "It's not that I don't have confidence in her. Natsu's pretty cute, and she's got a brain too. But that's just the point, maybe Inui doesn't like Natsu's type. Maybe he likes nerdy, glasses-type kind of girls."

"Maa. Just so you know, he likes mature women, preferably older." shifted position. "Your friend, however, is the exception."

Rin raised her brow. "And why is that?"

"I can't really explain it to you now but trust me, I know an exception when I see one and guys almost always fall for the exception."

"Right, and that kinda sounds familiar. Like it's from a movie or something."

"Saa." Fuji just shrugged his shoulders. "Either way, this revenge plan is going to be win-win. Plus, I get to enjoy the show."

Rin slowly looked down and shook her head. Fuji smiled at her innocently. "What?" He asked.

"You sadistic son-of-a-gun."

* * *

><p>"Okay guys, that's enough for today." Yamino-sensei said. "You can just arrange those in the shelf over there."<p>

Inui stacked the papers and proceeded to the shelf. Natsumi followed suit. She let out a deep and tired sigh, because in the end, her search was futile. She felt like she was running out of options, or maybe she was just paranoid._ 'It might have been blown away by the wind or thrown away in the trash,' _she said, reassuring herself. But then again, she couldn't shake off the feeling that it was just here, somewhere.

"Wow. And after all our efforts, there's still two more batches left." She carefully placed the papers on the shelf. "I can't believe you have been doing this kind of work every day." Natsumi said.

"I agree with that," Inui said, brushing out the dust from his hands. "But I have no choice but to do it."

"I could volunteer my services as your assistant, if you'd like." Natsumi blurted out. '_What the-? What the hell did you just tell him, baka?'_

"I really could use some help, thank you. I appreciate it." Inui said. _'Hmm, maybe she could help me.'_

_'Whew.' _Natsumi smiled. "So, shall we go?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Bus station, 6:30 pm<strong>_

"Here's my bus." Natsumi said, waving goodbye. "See you tomorrow, Inui-kun."

"Ah. See you." He watched as Natsumi went for the stairs. As she reached for the handle, he had this impulse to stop her.

"W-wait!" He exclaimed.

Natsumi's heart beat fast. _'Dang, Inui. What do you want from me now that I'm about to ride the bus?' _She turned her head slowly. "Yeah?"

"Uh. Can I.. ask you a favor?" Inui said, looking nervous.

"Sure, what is it?" Natsumi replied.

"Oooooi! Ojou-chan, you getting on or not?" The bus driver yelled.

"Ah.." Inui stammered. _Should I or should I not ask some friendly advice about this letter?_ "Are you free.. tonight?"

Natsumi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Huh?" _This can't be real. Somebody pinch me. _"Y..yeah, why?" She quickly narrowed her eyes, feigning a suspicious look.

"Well," Inui started. "If you'd like, I could go treat you to anywhere you'd like today. After all, it's my-"

"Hey Ojou-chan! Next time you go on a bus stop, make up your damn mind!" the driver yelled as he sped off the road. Inui was a tad annoyed with the driver.

"Ehrm." He looked at Natsumi, masking his annoyance. "After all, you were a great help to me today." He said, making up another reason. He realized it was weird to ask someone out because it was his birthday, much less, a girl.

"Uh," was all Natsumi could say. She was dumbfounded. Maybe she had done something very good in her past life that Kami decided to bless her in this lifetime's incarnation. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever expect to hang out with him- alone. It was like fate's handiwork that brought them to this situation.

"I know it's a bit awkward, asking you out of the blue, Hoshizora-san." Inui said. _What was I thinking?_ "It's fine if you refuse. It was a very unnecessary and uncalled for request."

_Take it or not to take it? _Natsumi glanced at her watch. Her parents will probably give her the lecture of a lifetime when she gets home but what the heck. This might be her one and only chance to at least hang out with Inui and moreover, on his birthday. She couldn't miss the chance.

"Well, my bus left already so I don't think I have a choice now, right?" She said.

"You could actually wait for the next bus." Inui replied.

"And sit my butt out here for the next forty-five minutes? I don't think so." Natsumi said, grinning slightly. "I'm coming with you, Inui-kun."

Inui smiled in return. _This year's not too shabby, after all. _"Ja, think of some good place to eat then. Your pick, my treat."

Natsumi shrugged her shoulders. "Deal."

* * *

><p><strong>And here it is, chapter 3!<strong> Again, I am so sorry for the late update.** Belated happy birthday to Inui, by the way! XD**

**Hope you guys liked this one. I sure hope Inui isn't OOC in this one. . I will try to update as soon as I can. Nevertheless, please let me know your thoughts my typing in a review! Constructive criticism, comments or just a simple review will be gladly appreciated! :)**


	5. The Longest Night, Part 1

**Summary:** Seigaku's resident data man finds the greatest surprise of his life… inside his shoe locker.

**Author's Note:** This is based on a PoT chibi mini theater. If you haven't seen it, try checking out the vid (if it's still available, that is.) It's hilarious. :)

* * *

><p>0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0<p>

**Chapter 4: The Longest Night, Part 1**

"_Your pick, my treat."_

In that moment, Natsumi's mind was running in circles for the following reasons: First, she was obliged to make an impromptu decision in which she was always incapable of doing (well, almost). Second, she knew very well that it was Inui's birthday so she could not choose an ordinary fast food or burger chain on a special day like this— it had to be something good. Kawamura's Sushi place was an option, but it was impossible to get there without a public vehicle in sight. Plus, she wouldn't want to cause a ruckus. Inui hanging out with a girl is odd enough, but hanging out with a girl _alone, _his teammates would definitely make a fuss, just as her own friends would. _If you're with a tennis player who is quite known in Japan, who wouldn't? _She thought.

Inui glanced at his companion, who seemed rather uncomfortable. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? We could just—"

"No, I'm fine really." Natsumi said. "I'm just... thinking."

"Yes, I can see that." He pushed his glasses up.

_I'm so sorry, Inui-kun but I can't let your special day go to waste, no matter how long it takes for me to figure this out._ "Aha!" She exclaimed.

"Have you finally decided on somewhere now?"

"Yes, I think I might know of a good place!" Natsumi happily replied.

* * *

><p>"So," She cleared her throat. "We're here."<p>

They stood in front of a Korean restaurant aptly named Seoul Food. It was previously a pastry shop which she often passed by when she was still in her second year. She didn't know, however, that several months back it closed down and was occupied by this novel restaurant just after a few months of vacancy.

Natsumi awkardly glanced at Inui, waiting for a reaction. There was some kind of tension in the atmosphere, waiting to explode. She couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly but she could sense it even with his poker face on.

"This actually isn't what I expected, anyway." She strode in front of Inui. "So, is it a no-go then?"

"NO!"

Natsumi raised an eyebrow, confused by Inui's sudden outburst. "No?"

"I mean, yes, this place will do."He did not just _simply_ like the thought of dining in a Korean restaurant on his birthday— he was completely delighted.

Natsumi put a hand on her chest. _Whew. _ "Glad you liked it, then."

"Aren't you hungry yet, Hoshizora-san? Because honestly speaking, I am."

"I can see that." Natsumi stifled a laugh as she watched Inui walk briskly to the entrance.

* * *

><p>"Wow, the food is pretty amazing!" Natsumi said as she consumed a spoonful of Bulgogi and rice. "But I can't be a judge of how delectable this is, though. I've never had Korean food before, to be honest."<p>

"In my perspective, the cuisine of all three East Oriental countries is similar, in some ways. For example, that Bulgogi you're eating is similar to our very own pan-seared Sukiyaki. Unless you're comparing it to French or Italian cuisine which is completely different, you would have a fairly good idea on how to judge if it's good or not." Inui said, finishing a bowl of Chajangmyun.

Natsumi took another spoonful, analyzing the taste this time. "Yeah, it is kind of similar now that I think about it."

Inui sipped his tea. "Anyway, thank you for bringing me here. The food is absolutely satisfying."

"Oh, it's no big deal. We're lucky to have chanced upon this place." She munched on a steamed dumpling. "I'm so coming back here."

"Chanced?" Inui asked.

"Actually, yes." Natsumi said. "This was a pastry shop before."

"Ah, I see." Inui ate his soup. "We got lucky indeed because I am not really a fan of sweets."

"So you don't like sweets, huh."Natsumi's lips formed a playful smirk. "I can see why, because most guys' sweet teeth are like milk teeth. They fall off as they grow older."

"That is a pretty accurate analogy but I don't think it applies to all, though."

"I'm not saying it did. However," She added, "You don't strike me as one who knows a lot about Korean cuisine, or cuisine in general."

_What is this girl getting at? _"I don't. That is not my area of expertise, believe me."Inui tried to keep his expression blank. "But I do know a bit of the basics."

"You say a bit, but I can sense that there's more than you're letting on." Natsumi grinned. "You like Korean food, don't you?

Inui did not (or more like, could not) reply but the slight tinge of pink creeping on his cheeks was betraying him. Natsumi nodded at him, smiling. "Ah, I see." _The nervous tension I was sensing back at the entrance was actually giddiness and excitment. _"Your poker face is quite convincing, by the way."

"I appreciate the sarcasm, thank you."

"You're welcome, Inui-kun." She said. "But, I do want to know why you like it so much."

"Do I?" _Was I really that obvious?_

"You do, apparently." She pointed at the stack of empty plates on Inui's side of the table. "You could have ordered the entire menu if you were the richest man in Japan."

"That's probably because I watch too much Korean… ehrm. Documentaries." He said. "I was awed."

"Uh-huh. Documentaries," Natsumi leaned in forward, resting her forearms on the table. She was enjoying this. "Could it possibly be about lovestruck teenagers, or maybe tearjerkers about star-crossed lovers? I'm making wild guesses here."

"Close enough, but you forgot to include the part where they're armed, dangerous and ready to shoot virus-ridden zombies."

"Are you saying that my guess was entirely wrong or that my guess was partially right because I didn't include the "armed and dangerous" part?"

There was silence from the other end. Natsumi watched Inui's ears turned red. She chuckled, and Inui felt himself sink lower into his seat.

"Tsk. You don't have to be so shy about it! I'm sure you're not the only Korean fan out here in Japan and I'm pretty sure that you're not the only guy who watches sappy romantic movies."

Inui took another sip of his tea. "Obviously not. I am not ashamed of my fondess for Korean movies but let me ask you this: do you know of another male middle schooler who watches, quote, "sappy romantic movies"?"

Natsumi shrugged. "None so far, but I don't think it's not a bad thing to be a fan of the genre. I mean, who cares?" She reached out and gave him a little pat. "I don't think it will hurt your cool, calm and collected image, if that's what you're worried about."

"Okay," _You clearly have no idea what my teammates are like, Hoshizora-san._ "But let's just keep this a little secret."

"Sure, of course. No one has to know that the great Inui Sadaharu bawls his eyes over classic, romantic Korean tragedies." She flashed a sly smile. "By tomorrow, this juicy information will make the headlines of the school paper."

Inui kept a straight face, pushing his glasses up his nose. "All right then, Hoshizora-san. Do whatever you wish," he smirked, slowly getting up from his seat. "But you can go wash the dishes after I eat and run."

"Don't you dare!" Natsumi hissed, clutching on his sleeve. Inui was pulled back down to sitting, his arm accidentally brushing on some of the plates, which cluttered noisily on the wooden floor. All heads suddenly turned to their direction, ensuing hushed and judgmental whispers.

"It's all good, everyone," She released Inui's sleeve, raising both of her hands. "I know what this looks like but it's not what you think it is."

"Is everything all right here, sir?" A young waiter asked, appearing behind Inui.

"Yes," Inui straightened his posture, turning to the waiter. "Thank you for—"

The young waiter's mouth was totally agape, and it remained that way for a couple of seconds. Inui froze, surprised as well.

"I-Inui-senpai!" Said the black-haired lad, with utter shock written all over his face.

"Ehrm, Kachiro." Inui tensely replied. "I didn't know you work here."

"Uh, yes, my uncle hired me." Kachiro stared at Inui, and then gawked at the girl sitting in front of his senpai. He leaned in close to Inui's ear, his eyes still fixated on his senpai's dinner companion. "Senpai, is she your—"

"No, she is not." Inui quickly retorted, also in a whisper. He then glanced at Natsumi, whose eyebrows were already converging and her head tilted questioningly to one side. "I'm sorry, I think I just lost my manners. Hoshizora-san, this is Kato Kachiro, a freshman Kouhai of mine from the tennis club," He said, gesturing to his kouhai. "Kachiro, meet Hoshizora Natsumi, my classmate."

"Pleased to meet you, Kato-kun." Natsumi held out her hand.

"It's nice to meet you too, Hoshizora-san!" Kachiro said, shaking her hand excitedly.

"Um," She looked at her hand, which was still in Kachiro's. "My hand."

"Oh!" Kachiro let go. "Of course." He bent down to pick up the fallen plates on the floor, which thankfully were still intact. "I'll be dishing these out, if you don't mind sir—er, senpai."

"Please do." Inui said. He got his wallet and fished out a few bills. "Here's the payment, by the way."

Kachiro received the money as he held the plates on his other hand and mouthed, "She's pretty!"

Inui would have wanted to glare, but he knew how futile it was if Kachiro couldn't see it. Kachiro noted the flat and serious expression on his face and at that point, he decided not say another word for the sake of his well-being (clue: Inui juice). He quickly exited with the money and empty plates.

Natsumi couldn't resist but laugh. "I can see that your kouhai there likes you a lot."

"A hundred percent, I would say. " He stood up and grabbed his bag. "Let's go?"

"Already?" Natsumi hesitantly picked up her own stuff. "What about your change?"

"They can keep it." _Now that Kachiro knows I'm here, word will spread like wildfire_. "Besides, I think we could use some dessert."

Once again, her eyebrows converged. "I thought you didn't like sweets."

Inui shrugged. "I could get matcha ice cream, if you consider that a dessert."

Natsumi hesitated. "That's a weird selection, but okay. Matcha ice cream it is!"

* * *

><p>Riiiing. Riiiiiing. Riiiiing.<p>

"Oh c'mon senpai, pick up!" Kachiro mumbled beneath his breath.

"Moshi moshi."

"Momo-senpai! Finally!" He exclaimed. "I have news!"

"This better be good," Momo said, munching on some chips. "I'm still in the middle of finishing my game—err, homework."

"I-I-I-Inui-senpai—" Kachiro's voice was trembling. "He… he's-!"

"Why, what happened to Inui-senpai? Did he get into an accident? Was he mugged? Was he—"

"Just let me finish first, senpai!" Kachiro yelled. "I think he's on a date! He's got a pretty lady with him!"

Silence.

"Senpai?"

"Kachiro, I was already _this _close to putting in a three-pointer and I freaking paused my game just because of _this_? I thought he was dying! SO WHAT IF HE'S GOT A HOT DATE?!"

"Senpai—"

"Wait no, "Momo paused."Could you repeat what you just said?"

"Senpai?"

"No, before that!"

"I think Inui-senpai is on a date and that he's got a pretty lady with him?"

There was a long pause on the other line. "Senpai, are you still there?" Kachiro asked.

"Senpai has a hot date… on his birthday. That is no coincidence! That means, he ALREADY met the girl!" Momo screamed. "That was fast, like lightning fast!"

"Wait, what do you mean by that? What's happening?"

"I can't explain it now, but where are you? I NEED TO SEE THIS!"

"Whoa, chill for a bit, senpai! I'm going deaf with all the shouting in my ear!"

"Sorry!" Momo took a long breath. "Whew, that was some shocking news. Where are you right now?"

"I'm at this restaurant called Seoul Food, just a few minutes away from school."

"Okay, I'll be there in a jiffy!"

"But senpai—!"

The line was dead. Kachiro redialed. _The number you dialed is busy at the moment._ _Please try your call later._ He pressed the end button and heaved a sigh. "They just left."

* * *

><p><strong>And after a LONG time, I finally found the time to update. I'm truly sorry it took two years! I have been really busy, since I just graduated college last year and I got so consumed with my job. Anyway, I do hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I loved writing this bit, actually. Inui might be a little OOC with liking Korean stuff but it was actually in his 40.5 profile that his favorite movie was Korean so I thought that maybe I could wing it a little from there. :D <strong>

**I will try to improve my sluggishness in making this story now that I have a bit of free time. Please tell me your thoughts, comments, suggestions, constructive criticism and whatnot through reviews! :)**


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